p.2 #1 · Nikon's Active D-Lighting explained - required reading if you shoot JPEG
Ok, I think what he is saying is that d-lighting lifts mid-grey up close to the highlight region and he under-exposes to drop it back down, thus protecting highlights and the shadows are OK as they were already lifted. As we discussed, in the automatic exposure modes the camera undertakes this exposure reduction for us automatically.
D-lighting sounds like it is doing a similar thing to shooting Log video, its a log exposure curve applied to the JPEG. However where video forces underexposure by reporting an ISO 3 stops higher than the sensor is actually using, in d-lighting the camera reduces actual exposure. As you point out, in fully manual mode the camera is unable to reduce exposure automatically and our man has figured out that he needs to do it himself to get good results SOOC.
I think d-lighting could be quite useful where there is plenty of light. However I would be hesitant to use it if I thought the reduction in exposure would create noisy shadows when the camera applies the d-lighting curve. In those circumstances I would want to ETTR to maintain maximum exposure (SNR) and then bring down exposure in post which defeats the purpose of d-lighting (good SOOC JPEGs)!
p.2 #2 · Nikon's Active D-Lighting explained - required reading if you shoot JPEG
Alistair1 wrote:
I think d-lighting could be quite useful where there is plenty of light. However I would be hesitant to use it if I thought the reduction in exposure would create noisy shadows when the camera applies the d-lighting curve. In those circumstances I would want to ETTR to maintain maximum exposure (SNR) and then bring down exposure in post which defeats the purpose of d-lighting (good SOOC JPEGs)!
This was precisely my thought. It doesn't matter if the camera or LR is pulling a shot up 2 stops, you're introducing way more noise than you need to and not protecting the highlights any better for it.
It's interesting that Nikon tends to show ADL being used where your subject is in shadowy, underlit situations though.
I have always used DR400 (same feature on Fuji) in bright situations to tame hotspots, not really to lift up the shadows.
p.2 #3 · Nikon's Active D-Lighting explained - required reading if you shoot JPEG
D-Lighting and Active D-Lighting give different results. The Active part involves a slight metering bias to improve highlight tonal range. Both DL and ADL apply a tone-mapping algorithm where large areas that are in the shadow are lifted but local contrast is preserved so tree branches still appear contrasty against the light. It's a bit like local contrast enhancement but Nikon's algorithm for it.
In log video, there is by default only a metering bias (which is much larger than the one in ADL) and a log curve application but it's a global effect - applied to each pixel without consideration to nearby image content like there is in DL or ADL. So they're very different functions.
Alistair1 wrote:
Ok, I think what he is saying is that d-lighting lifts mid-grey up close to the highlight region and he under-exposes to drop it back down, thus protecting highlights and the shadows are OK as they were already lifted. As we discussed, in the automatic exposure modes the camera undertakes this exposure reduction for us automatically.
D-lighting sounds like it is doing a similar thing to shooting Log video, its a log exposure curve applied to the JPEG. However where video forces underexposure by reporting an ISO 3 stops higher than the sensor is actually using, in d-lighting the camera reduces actual exposure. As you point out, in fully manual mode the camera is unable to reduce exposure automatically and our man has figured out that he needs to do it himself to get good results SOOC.
I think d-lighting could be quite useful where there is plenty of light. However I would be hesitant to use it if I thought the reduction in exposure would create noisy shadows when the camera applies the d-lighting curve. In those circumstances I would want to ETTR to maintain maximum exposure (SNR) and then bring down exposure in post which defeats the purpose of d-lighting (good SOOC JPEGs)!...Show more →
p.2 #4 · Nikon's Active D-Lighting explained - required reading if you shoot JPEG
In Scott's samples it seems that off and low are very similar. Normal adds a bit more pop. Bigger difference between normal and high. Auto seems closer to normal but kind between normal and high? I don't see myself using extra high so I haven't looked at it too closely.
p.2 #5 · Nikon's Active D-Lighting explained - required reading if you shoot JPEG
If you’re going to use it, normal is the best of both worlds setting in my opinion that gets you results without being over the top. Auto doesn’t go above low very often it seems like.
BigBadWolfie wrote:
In Scott's samples it seems that off and low are very similar. Normal adds a bit more pop. Bigger difference between normal and high. Auto seems closer to normal but kind between normal and high? I don't see myself using extra high so I haven't looked at it too closely.
p.2 #7 · Nikon's Active D-Lighting explained - required reading if you shoot JPEG
Hi Scott, here's what I chased down. When shooting fully manual, ADL acts much like the way exposure compensation does. It's a bit counter-intuitive. As you rightly proclaim, ex comp and ADL do not change shutter, aperture, or ISO in manual, you still fully control these. What does change though is the meter indication. Page 141 of my Z fc manual states that ex comp in mode M only affects the exposure indicator. If, e.g. you dial in 1 stop less ex comp the meter then shows 1 stop over, so you then alter the shutter or aperture back to 0, and voila, you have manually set 1 stop less exposure compensation, i.e. 1 stop less than the meter would have indicated with no ex comp. This is hardly what you would normally do shooting in manual, but that's how it works and it does make sense. ADL works the same way to lower the exposure, protecting the highlights. Once you turn it on you don't have to think about it, just set your shutter or aperture so the meter shows 0, and the built-in exposure reduction will be whichever level of ADL you've selected. Since all this affects exposure (light falling on the sensor, controlled by shutter and aperture, but NOT ISO) it obviously affects both raw and JPEG. The other half of ADL, raising the blacks, of course, happens after the data leaves the sensor.
